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Breaking News
| December 14, 2007 |
| Winter Update |
As the snow continues to fall in Southern Ontario the lads in the shop are working on major refurbishing of rides and electrical equipment. The Century Wheel and the Raiders are being completely restored to their original pristine condition. This includes paint and mechanical for both rides. In another area of the shop our electrical generating equipment is being overhauled to ensure reliable, safe and environmentally friendly electrical power for the future.
After introducing Canada's first Venetian Swing Carousel ride at Ottawa's 2007 SuperEx, various components of the ride are being adjusted so that this premier attraction will be able to show at a greater selection of dates in future years. In 2008 we are looking forward to introducing two new attractions; the Haunted Mansion ride and a Monkey Maze funhouse. Keep posted to the web site for pictures of these new attractions. |
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| July 3, 2007 |
| The Green Award |
| World's Finest Shows is proud to announce a new Green Award will be presented at this year's annual awards dinner. Jan Faltash; Executive Director of Marketing and Client Development says that the award will be presented to the fair or festival that best alleviates the local impact on the environment. Key management staff from both units of the show will be monitoring the various events to determine the winner of the award. World's Finest Shows is committed to pursuing all avenues in reducing waste and emissions from operations involved with their midways. |
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| June 22, 2007 |
| Windsor Summerfest |
| Summerfest officially opened Wednesday at Festival Plaza on Windsor's waterfront. Along with the World's Finest midway, Summerfest has a wide variety of children's entertainment, the Windsor Detroit International Tug Boat Race, musical acts on the Riverfront Sound and Entertainment Venue, Canada Day celebrations and the 49th annual Target fireworks on June 27th. |
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| February 22, 2007 |
| Annual Awards Dinner |
On Friday, February 16th, 2007; World's Finest Shows was pleased to host friends and guests from the fairs and exhibitions in Ontario at our thirty fourth annual awards dinner. Over 230 people enjoyed the ambiance of the Vanity Fair Ballroom at the prestigious "Le Royal Meridien King Edward" hotel in Toronto. Entertainment was provided by pianist Paul Kentner and soloists Christopher Dallo and Daniel Pannetta. Their vocal performances received several standing ovations from the appreciative audience.
The award winners were as follows:
Supershows Super Fair-Merrickville
White Glove-Great Northern Exhibition
Entertainment-Stamford
Advance Sale Achievement-Windsor Summerfest
.com Award-Central Canada Exhibition
Most Improved-Brigden
Fair of the Year-Fergus
Award of Excellence-Don Carlin of the Caledonia Fair
For pictures of the dinner please click here: www.worldsfinestshows.com/AwardsBanquet2007 |
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| October 11, 2006 |
| Thanksgiving Weekend |
'Fantastic year' for Norfolk Fair.
Sun shines on the fair; Biggest attendance in a decade.
Such were the headlines of the local papers to describe this past weekend at the Norfolk County Fair in Simcoe and the Brigden Fair. After seven weekends of wet weather the sun finally came out for Thanksgiving. Both fairgrounds were jammed with crowds enjoying the midway and the fair activities that both of these great fairs offer. Beth McGill; secretary of the Brigden Fair summed it up as follows;
"The midway has been so busy, we had 118 babies in our baby show. It was just wall-to-wall strollers and buggies, and there have been big crowds at the livestock shows and the 4-H shows. Really it has just been an exceptional year." |
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| August 28, 2006 |
| Central Canada Exhibition |
| The combined units of the World's Finest Shows have just completed their showing for the 10th consecutive year at the Central Canada Exhibition in the nation's capital of Ottawa. During the 11 day fair a press night was held followed by a bingo of which the net proceeds go towards the Patty Conklin Foundation. On the Monday night the directors and management of the Exhibition association were treated to a fabulous dinner cooked and served by the management of the show. This annual event is well attended and enjoyed by all associated with the fair. Despite poor weather for 2 days the Ex was on par with previous years. The 2007 edition of the Central Canada Exhibition will take place August 16th-26th at Ottawa's Lansdowne Park. |
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| May 13, 2006 |
| 50 Years ago 1956 |
| The Brantford Expositor reported that the annual carnival at Agricultural Park is a kiddie's world after all. Only the spirit and the stomach of the very young can cope with the dizzying Roller Coaster, to say nothing of such "crazy mixed-up thrillers" as the Fly-O-Plane, Scrambler, Ye Old London Ghost Ride, Rolloplane and Moonrocket. Just like our present weather the carnival was marked by rainfall of almost torrential proportions but not even the climatic vagaries could dampen the ardor of Brantford's younger set. For all of those, from babes in prams to teenagers, the Wallace Bros. (World's Finest Shows) has provided entertainment in "America's Biggest Kiddieland." |
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| February 28, 2006 |
| Annual Awards Dinner |
On Friday, February 17th, 2006; World's Finest Shows was pleased to host friends and guests from the fairs and exhibitions in Ontario at our thirty third annual awards dinner. Close to 240 people enjoyed the ambiance of the Vanity Fair Ballroom at the prestigious "Le Royal Meridien King Edward" hotel in Toronto. Entertainment was provided by pianist Paul Kentner and soloist Candace Santos. Mr. Alf Phillips was his usual entertaining self as master of ceremonies. The award winners were as follows:
Supershows Super Fair-GE Picnic
White Glove-Norfolk County Fair
Entertainment-Celebrate Toronto Street Festival
Advance Sale Achievement-Napanee Fair
.com Award-Schomberg Fair
Most Improved-St. Anne's Community Festival
Fair of the Year-Lombardy Fair
Award of Excellence-Kathy Smith of the Ancaster Fair
The winner of the door prize winning a trip to Redfish Lodge in Texas was Kevin Hutchings of the Sutton Fair.
For pictures of the dinner please click here: www.worldsfinestshows.com/AwardsBanquet2006 |
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| November 14, 2005 |
| Year End Update |
| After what can only be described as a season of unusual weather, the shows finished with results of an average year. The equipment has been stored away in the barns for the winter months and the shop has started work on refurbishing rides and accessories for the 2006 season. Jan Faltash has recently returned from the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions convention in Quebec City where once again the talent showcase night was a spectacular event. This event is supported by the Patty Conklin Foundation which World's Finest Shows supports through fundraising on its various shows. This week Barry and the boys are off to the IAAPA trade show in Atlanta; who knows what they will come back with this year! |
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| September 22, 2005 |
| From the Lindsay Daily Post - There's no life quite like it. |
Readying for the rush of fairgoers which will invade the company’s makeshift village today through Sunday, Phil Dauplaise says there’s no place he’d rather be during the fair season.“It’s a great job and an interesting life,” says the 24-year-old. “There’s the travelling aspect and meeting the people is awesome, you are always somewhere interesting and meet people you probably never would.”
The Port Hope native, as they say, ‘ran away with the carnival’ and has worked for World’s Finest Shows since he was 18. Before that, Dauplaise says, he had volunteered his services as a boy by doing whatever was needed when a carnival came to town. “I started into this blowing up balloons when I was eight and I have wanted to do it ever since,” he says. Not fazed by any stereotyping that comes along with the job, Dauplaise loves his work. “That’s an old thing,” he says of stereotyping. “It’s more of a business now and it’s a regular job. We like what we do.”
In her eighth year with World’s Finest Shows, Nicole Murphy has done nearly everything within the company and now finds herself in the office. She echoes Dauplaise’s exuberance for her job, saying there are not too many positions comparable to working at a carnival. “I’m proud of what I do,” says Murphy, 28.
“Carnival work is good work, some people may think different of it but it’s a really good job. “It’s nice to go from job to job and town to town, you never really get stagnant,” adds Murphy, who joined World’s Finest Shows after attending the midway for the first time.
Rick Smith, general manager of World’s Finest Shows, says they've made a conscious decision to improve the image of travelling fun fairs in the minds of the customer. Involved in the industry for more than 28 years, Smith says it’s important customers can feel comfortable around carnival staff. With 22 rides and 40 game and food booths, World’s Finest Shows is the largest in Ontario and Smith says they ensure professionalism on top of everything. “It’s about appealing to the public,” says Smith. “Everyone here is all clean shaven, there’s no ripped pants, we take pride in what we do.”
Throughout the season World Finest Shows travels to more than 60 towns, running two to three operations throughout the fair season.
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| July 27, 2005 |
| Fairs and Festivals Website’s continue to improve and serve visitors more efficiently |
| Not all of us are on the road at this time. Some of us are here in the office on the phones and the web. We have noticed a few more sites which have continued to upgrade their technology and improve their website look. Sutton and Lindsay are both online this year with new offerings. Sutton’s site, http://www.suttonfair.com/ is produced in a classic L shaped layout which is proving to be the preferred design of most web visitors. Lindsay’s site, http://www.lindsayex.com/ also employs an ‘easy to navigate’ layout. Each year, more and more visitors, use the web to research their prospective exhibit options as well as plan their Fair entertainment. Markham Fair’s site, http://www.markhamfair.ca/ experienced a nearly 20% increase in web traffic over the previous year for the 3 weeks leading up to their event days. It is predicted that their volume of visitor will increase by another 20% this year. |
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| June 6, 2005 |
| New Web Store Opens |
| World's Finest Shows is pleased to announce that the new and updated web store is now open. The store will provide our visitors with a consistent "look and feel" as the rest of the website. This feature has been in the production and testing stage since February of 2005. Our web designer encountered several steps back for each step forward - ASP, servers, hosting providers, SSL certificates and the CIRA! Fortunately all problems were solved. Presently the store is offering advance sales for Gloucester, Stamford and Windsor. Other locations will be added throughout the season. |
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| May 17, 2005 |
| Victoria Day Weekend |
| The weather this spring has not been very co-operative for those involved in the outdoor amusement business in southern Ontario. We have operated through snow, sun and rain. Fortunately a brief period of good weather held long enough last Saturday for us to have a successful Mayfair in Toronto. The shows are now looking forward to favourable runs in Woodstock and Sudbury for the Victoria Day weekend! |
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| March 24, 2005 |
| Rogers Centre Springfling |
| Even though southern Ontario is now covered again in wet snow, spring arrived last week with World's Finest Shows providing the midway for the Springfling at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. Unfortunately the attendance was down as the spring breaks for Toronto schools were split between last week and this week. However everyone agrees that the event was moderately successful. Smitty reports that watching the finishing touches being applied to the new Jumbotron and the arrival of the new turf made up for some slow days! |
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| December 15, 2004 |
| Skydome Winter Carnival |
While the weather outside is frightful, Winter Carnival at SkyDome is so delightful … come for an exciting day of midway rides (for big & little kids), games and loads of interactive fun! The perfect way to keep the family warm and entertained. Unlimited rides and endless fun, all for one great low price! World's Finest Shows is proud to be a partner with the world's greatest entertainment centre. Open from Tuesday December 28 until Sunday January 2,2005. For more information go to
>http://www.skydome.com/
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| December 14, 2004 |
| Jumping Jumbos |
Just ahead of Santa, the Jumping Jumbos journeyed all the way from South Carolina. They arrived safely at our Nanticoke shop and can't wait to bring smiles to children all over Ontario! This Sellner flying elephant ride will be a welcome addition to the World's Finest Show.
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| November 5, 2004 |
| We Got Us A Convoy! |
| There has been a reported sighting of a convoy consisting of six model Volkswagen cars heading east from Foley, Missouri. These cars are destined for the World's Finest Shows shop in Nanticoke, Ontario where they will be used to upgrade an existing children's ride. Watch for this new attraction on our midway in the 2005 season. |
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| November 1, 2004 |
| Paul Guylee |
| Paul Guylee has left World's Finest Shows to take on a new position with an amusement facility in his home town of Niagara Falls, Ontario. Paul has spent several years with World's Finest Shows and also Conklin Shows. After the years of traveling Paul is looking forward to enjoying the comforts of home year round. We wish him all the best in this new venture. |
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| October 31, 2004 |
| End of season |
The 2004 route for World's Finest Shows finished on a high note with record showings at the Norfolk County Fair in Simcoe and the Brigden Fair. After struggling through on and off weather for the spring and summer routes these two fairs capped an excellent fall fair season which saw warm and sunny weather for the majority of the operating days.
The equipment and staff are now back at winter quarters in Nanticoke where work has started on maintaining the rides for the next season. As well, another full slate of Christmas party rentals will begin in late November. Our marketing department is working on the 2005 route. At the moment, some open weeks are available if your fair or festival is interested in booking our carnival.
World's Finest Shows would like to thank all of our fairs and festivals for another great season in the outdoor amusement business. |
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